Uoleva from Lifuka

Am also considering going to Ha apai for few days or nearly a week. I think maybe a hassle to lug a backback (plus a small backpack) over to Uoleva for a few days?

So, is it quite do-able to stay somewhere in Pangai (like Fifita guesthouse) and walk over to Uoleva for the day? Do tides etc accomodate this (going and returning in one day) or can one easily get a boat? If the tides only come in once a day I might be stuck there!

is it easy to walk to those classic beaches as part of a day trip? I am a fast walker and have fit legs. But I don't know if those white pacific beaches are all around this island of Uoleva or just one part of it (probably the furthest away!)

Also, I know sounds strange for someone visiting Tonga, but I don't like seafood! So maybe the 'resorts' on Uoleva won't accomodate my eating habits so much.

I think you would better take a crossing fishing boat. Am not sure if it's walkable now, specially with the tides. The place is small really but you could walk everywhere. No worries, Tongan eat mainly pork (or horses/sometimes dogs) and fish, IF available. Tonga is a place where food is very limited, specially in the ha'pais when you think of veggies and fruits, there is a local market, really simple one and some chinese shops selling canned trashy food. So, really, if you can survive on pasta.... Sometimes it's even hard to get tomatoes. You will find more manioc and taro leaves really.

Pangai is a dirt road really, so, don't worry everyone will help you and be friendly.

if you stay at Fifita, you could walk everywhere really, don't miss the point of Matafonua. It's a bit expensive to stay there, but you can walk have a lunch or dinner and arrange to be back into town with a taxi - which would cost around $ 25 pa'anga.

But really, the place is amazing and if you have some spare money, consider in taking a whale wathcing trip or a dive trip if u dive. I reccomend http://www.tonga-dive.com/

Low tides occur approx. every 12 and half hours with the time moving ahead by 50 minutes each day.

I would not risk my life walking across the channel from Lifuka to Uoleva. I heard that the earthquake several years ago made the walk across far more risky than it had been in the past. I watched a local cross the considerable distance (a mile?) between islands on a horse and could see what a strong current they were going through (and he obviously knew where the shallowest areas were). I heard that another local on a horse got swept out to sea.

I would recommend spending the night on Uoleva. You can get a fisherman to drop you off but then you will have to get back. I know that the fellow at Capt. Cook's will charge you quite a bit to take you back (because he told me) if you happen to be stuck there. (His rates for guests were fair.)

The beautiful sandy beach is found on one side of Uoleva (the resort side). The other side is rocky and wind swept. While you can walk around the island, on the rough side you have to do a bit of climbing and bushwacking (at least at the higher tides).

When I was organizing my stay with Capt. Cook we discussed the menu. I said I eat fish thinking that he would be happy because it's free in the lagoon. He said he would have to go to the market in town to buy some!!! I said it doesn't have to be fish. So we had chicken and pork. He's a great cook!Edited by: silvanocat

I walked to the point at Matafonua two days in a row (it's really beautiful there) and was able to get a lift back both days. I believe that there may be a bus and boat going up to Foa. Check with the tourist office on that

brtata and silvanocat are right, walking is not a good option. People have been swept away by currents before, it's quite risky. You can go by boat, it costs around T$25 and once you are there I believe you will want to stay more than just one day. Regarding the food, you can also cook for yourself at the resorts if you prefer that. Just make sure you stock up on food when you're in Pangai, there are no shops on Uoleva. Walking around the entire island takes around 3 hours, so quite doable for you as a fast walker :o)

Edited by: docbrown

There's a couple of votes for Matafonua, will have to check that out should I get there. Thanks for info all - i def won't be walking over now. Fins, thanks for info I've ready your web site. May I ask what are the chances of seeing whales on one of these trips? like, 95% or 50%, or possible to guess? I will be there early oct or late sept. Basically trying to get a couple more days off work and change my oroginal flight to Tonga... if i can do that I'll be in Ha apai.

September and early October are excellent for the whales. You are pretty much guaranteed to see them and chances for swimming are also very good.

In reality, walking across between these islands at low tide is VERY easy.
LOTS of tourists do it unguided.
When I crossed, the water level varied between 10 (for most of the way) and 20 cm (at a few spots) - if you can be swept off your feet and drawn in water that shallow, you should stay clear of beaches altogether! ;-)
To make it even easier, there is a clearly visible trail across, tramped out by the horses Tongans use to cross, but even without it, the shallow area is several hundred meters wide and you could just cross where you see the shallower bits.

Of course crossing at high tide could be much more difficult and walking over and back during one low tide will not really leave you with enough time to reach Uoleva' best beaches and snorkelling spots.

Travelers should also bear in mind that the level of tidal change varies a great deal with the lunar cycle, some low tides will still be high enough to make this crossing hazardous.

The tide charts available from the tourist office in Pangai are pretty good for finding out about water levels and timing - mind you, if it was 30 cm instead of 10, it would still be an easy crossing.

Water height is only one aspect of the crossing. Other things travelers might like to be aware of are wind strength, wind direction, current, the large distance involved, limitations with regard to carrying personal belongings, risk of submersion to electronic devices and the potential for aquatic life injuries - stonefish, scorpionfish or coral injuries for example.

Even small abrasions and scratches from living corals take months to heal, can be really painful and are highly susceptible to infection as our immune system is not accustomed to the marine bacteria which enters the wound. Infected wounds must be kept dry which means no diving, snorkeling or whale watching - the three best things to do in Ha'apai.

From an ecological perspective it may also be considered quite detrimental to the health of the marine environment to walk on the coral reef. Please be a responsible visitor to Ha'apai and do not damage the eco-system here by walking on the reef.

Twelve minutes on a boat versus the hassle, time, risks and environmental degradation caused by this crossing make it only worthwhile for those few people who would rather risk their own neck instead of supporting the local tourism industry.

only worthwhile for those few people who would rather risk their own neck instead of supporting the local tourism industry.

There is basically no risking of one's neck involved whatsoever.
And I myself crossed carrying all my belongings (big backpack plus camera bag), though of course others may prefer taking a boat if carrying a lot. I also met a ca 60 yo European lady on Uoleva who told me she had done the crossing "many many times" over the years and thought it would be "no problem at all".
Another visitor on the island said he had met maybe 20 tourists who crossed on foot that week - a good part of all tourists in Haapai, probably, rather than "a` few people".

But the 2nd half of this sentence makes it clear what motivates Finsnflukes' passionate advocating taking boat transfers: They happen to be the main (locally based, though foreigner-run) operator offering the (to many able-bodied visitors clearly unnecessary) boat transfers to Uoleva! ;-)

Sorry Sabine!
I was about to write to Lp to suggest that they should recommend you instead of (or at least in addition to) Mariner's as the best place for local info, but am now in doubt about how unbiased your info might be...

Thank you Lazlo, your unbiased advice will be very useful to many independent travelers wishing to visit Ha'apai.

As you note we are a tour operator (the "main one" is quite flattering though, thanks) and assuming this role we must be biased towards visitor safety. If we recommended this walk to a tourist and something did go wrong, just that one single time, then we would not only face the blame but a bad conscience to boot. We would much rather avoid such a situation, if at all possible, and we hope most travelers can appreciate our position with regard to that. Local experience has taught us to have a healthy respect for the ocean.

Boat transfers between Lifuka and Uoleva Islands exist because there are also a great many people who would never even attempt this walk. They demand boat service, they deserve to be catered to and tour operators are happy to facilitate.

Of course, there's no obligation upon anyone to avail of local services but if providing an alternative and making people aware of "potential" hazards associated with the walk are wrong then we stand guilty as charged.

The main thing is, whether you prefer the adventurous approach or you are of a more cautious disposition, the Ha'apai islands can accommodate you easily.

How long did the walk take you by the way? I mean from the time you began in Pangai (i.e. including making it to the South point of Lifuka) to the time you finally arrived at your accommodation on Uoleva. I think this would be very valuable info for people thinking about doing it, especially if the tides are close to sunset. We do it in twelve minutes.

Thanks for keeping the Ha'apai threads alive Lazlo, all publicity is good publicity as they say!.

children, please....

whichever way you get there, it is beautiful.

Just to reiterate our concern with this crossing two tourists got into serious trouble today while attempting it. Reports are that they almost drowned in the attempt. After cycling to the southern point of Lifuka they intended to walk across to Uoleva and then back but after almost losing their lives on the way over they decided against the return trip and are now stuck on Uoleva for the night after apparently arriving at a resort there in only their swimming costumes.